Placebos Can Lower Emotional Distress, Even When People Know They’re Taking Placebos

The quoted material is, in toto, a brief entry, “At the Club,” in Logan Pearsall Smith’s More Trivia (1921). Even a century ago there were things to complain about and solve with easily digested explanations. Smith (1865-1946) is best-known for writing: “People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.” Wise words. He also wrote: “What’s more enchanting than the voices of young people, when you can’t hear what they say?” Minor writers are a major blessing.

[Smith’s four trivial collections are published in one volume, All Trivia (1933).]

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Fiction readers have made best leaders in Covid-19 crisis, says Val McDermid Crime author argues ministers who read only political biographies are limited in vision

    

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